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| Perma-Bound Edition ©2004 | -- |
| Paperback ©2004 | -- |
Family life. Fiction.
Schools. Fiction.
Authorship. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
Conduct of life. Fiction.
The second chapter book in a series that began with three picture books, this story continues the first-person narrative of Clarice Bean. With fresh, childlike turns of phrase and a hyperawareness of words, the voice is reminiscent of Junie B. Jones' in the series for younger readers. In this volume, Clarice juggles concerns about her problems with spelling, her frequently changing roles in a school production of The Sound of Music, and her friend Karl's unhappiness at home, troubles at school, and hurtful rejection of Clarice. And, unlike most kids in modern children's books, she watches television. An avid fan of Ruby Redfort, a character in numerous books and a TV series, Clarice sometimes looks to her hero for wisdom, or at least wisecracks. With a sprinkling of small, childlike line drawings, a few other illustrations, and some creative typography, this entertaining chapter book will please readers who are ready to move up from Amelia or -Junie B. Jones, books which have a similar tone and accessibility.
Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)Once again following the lead of fictional girl-spy Ruby Redfort, grade-school heroine Clarice Bean confronts spelling, her budding thespian abilities, and a friend's troubled home life in an amiably earnest narration adorned with quirkily scrawled line drawings, other mixed-media, and creative use of fonts and font sizes. Despite what sometimes comes off as faux-naivete, Clarice's genuine nature shines through.
School Library JournalGr 1-4-In this follow-up to Utterly Me, Clarice Bean (Candlewick, 2003), Clarice prepares for a spelling bee, hopes to land a good part in a play, tries to please a teacher, and is supportive of a friend. She continually employs the mind-set of her favorite book/TV detective, Ruby Redfort, to try to keep out of trouble and to help others. However, Clarice discovers that sometimes being a real friend is worth being in big trouble. The childish language and writing style will attract fans of Barbara Park's "Junie B. Jones" series (Random) and random sketches and font changes should help keep the interest of young readers. The novel begins well, slows down, and picks up again toward the end. Loose ends leave readers to assume that unanswered questions will be addressed in future books. While the story is somewhat disorganized and some readers may not be satisfied by its conclusion, overall it is appealing.-Amanda Rose Conover, St. John's County Public Library System, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus ReviewsAs utterly herself as ever, Clarice Bean Tuesday returns, to chatter on while riding an emotional roller coaster to close out her school year. Along with wondering what's up with classmate Karl Wrenbury (who's acting out in response to family problems), and earning a suspension by taking the rap for one of his misdeeds, she has many more issues. She frets about an upcoming spelling bee; continues to dote on her book/TV heroine Ruby Redfort; ruminates on what it takes to be a good writer; gets and loses the role of Liesl in a class production of The Sound of Music ; and records typically droll doings in her extended family, along with encounters with teachers good and bad—her regular one, Mrs. Wilberton, being a painfully vivid example of the latter. Child kicks Clarice Bean's already vivacious narrative up a notch with lots of small, quick ink sketches, typeface changes and polysyllabic study words (some of them made up), then closes on a delirious high note as Clarice unexpectedly lands a bit part opposite Ruby Redfort herself. Judy Moody and Junie B. Jones fans will happily dive into the observations of this "exceptionordinarily" entertaining middle-grader. (Fiction. 8-10)
ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)
Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)
School Library Journal
Wilson's Children's Catalog
Kirkus Reviews
And maybe you will know how to cleverly mend your hem with a stapler or stand on your actual head -- or stand on your actual head while drawing a dog in ballpoint pen -- or teach your dog how to draw with a ballpoint pen while he stands on your head. But they do not test you for these things because the people who come up with the testing do not think it is important.
But would you rather know someone who knows how to jump out of a moving helicopter without getting a twisted ankle or someone who can spell grapefruit?
I would like to know someone who knows how to get green marker out of a white carpet.
Until I do, Betty says put a chair over it.
I just hope my mom doesn't move the chairs before I discover the answer. Anyway, testing is my worst, whereas someone like Grace Grapello, for an actual example, is good in a test situation because ask her what 3.3 divided by 2.4 is and she will get a big check mark and I will get a headache.
Anyway, there we are doing this testing thing and the room is all quiet and I can just hear the clock ticking really slowly -- but strangely, every minute I look up, it is ten minutes later and time is running out.
And I can hear Robert Granger breathing. That's what he does. He sits behind me and breathes. It drives me utterly crazy.
And I turn around and go, "Stop breathing, will you!"
And he says, "Clarice Bean, of course I cannot stop breathing, because then I would be dead, and how would you like that?"
I decide not to answer his question because Mom has taught me if you can't think of anything nice to say, then sometimes it is better to say nothing at all. You see, I am trying really hard to keep it zipped in class, and I don't even utter a single word when I hear Grace Grapello telling Cindy Fisher that I am a duh-brain because I spelled photo with an f.
Mrs. Wilberton didn't tell her off even; she just said, "Clarice Bean, your spelling leaves a lot to be desired."
Anyway, at the end, when time is up, I hand in my test and Mrs. Wilberton says,
"Oh deary dear, it looks as if a spider has been dipped in ink and struggled across the page!"
I wish someone would dip her in ink.
Then she says, "I have some exciting news. I have arranged for the whole school to take part in a spelling bee."
Spelling bee is just a fancy way of saying test, but you have to stand there in front of the whole school and spell words out loud on the spot without writing them down. It is interesting that for Mrs. Wilberton giving a spelling test is the most fun she can ever have and for me it is a very good reason to tell Mrs. Marse, the school secretary, that I have a terrible case of a tummy upset and I need to go home as soon as possible, on the double, don't even bother to call my mom.
Anyway, I have been wondering, who is the person who gets to decide what is important?
Because I wish it was me.
Excerpted from Spells Trouble by Lauren Child
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Clarice Bean is in for a spell of trouble — and shares a lesson about kindness — in this hilarious sequel to the New York Times bestseller.
Clarice Bean seems to be in nonstop trouble these days, almost as much as Karl Wrenbury, who is the naughtiest boy at school. If only she could be more like her favorite book character, Ruby Redfort, girl detective, who is very good at getting out of trouble. The problem is, Mrs. Wilberton is planning a spelling bee, and just thinking about it gives Clarice a stomachache. But when Karl Wrenbury has a family problem and gets into really big trouble, Clarice does something utterly unexpected, altruistically proving Ruby Redfort's maxim "Never let a good pal down." The superbly talented Lauren Child presents a fast-paced, full-length adventure full of wacky wit, visual appeal, and a surprisingly heartwarming twist sure to reel in the most reluctant reader.